Igor Vovchanchyn: The Man Who Showed Fedor How to Punch

by Kid Nate on May 6, 2009 5:28 PM EDT in MMA History

The Garv posted an interview with one of the old school legends a couple of days back and I was too ~~demented~~ busy to post about it but didn't want to let it pass unremarked. Igor Vovchanchyn was the most feared striker of the late 1990s era of MMA.

Here's an interesting nugget for those who are unfamiliar with Igor V.:

Michael Mazur: What victory was the most valueable for you personally?
Igor Vovchanchyn: I guess it was my first Kiev tournament “Diamond night” I mentioned previously. To tell you the truth even I was pretty shocked by that event. Further on, both fights against Mark Kerr who was an animal and in his prime back then - these were some of the more memorable wars for me.

...
Michael Mazur: Who was your most difficult opponent?
Igor Vovchanchyn: Regarding the bouts I won - the hardest one was, no, were both fights against Mark Kerr. Concering the bouts I lost - it’s got to be Mark Coleman. I believe lack of preparation played its role. Watching the tape afterwrds, you know, I spot lots of my own mistakes. Preparing for the upcoming fight and implementing all the things you had up your sleeve doesn’t work as planned. Also the Heath Herring fight - it was pretty close.

To give you a little context, Vovchanchyn won more single night eight man tournaments than any other MMA fighter ever. The Diamond Night tournament was just one of many for him.

And the bouts he's referring to were classic stylistic clashes between Igor -- a puffed up light heavyweight with a huge right hand, dangerous knees who once even won a fight with headbutts from his back -- and two of the biggest, scariest wrestlers of his day in the Marks Kerr and Coleman.

Next he talks a little bit about his impact on one of the fighter's of today:

Michael Mazur: Do you agree with the statement that Fedor copied your style of punching? What potential fights have never taken place and why?
Igor Vovchanchyn: That’s true but only to some extent. More people were trying to imitate it, including japanese. They called it “Igor Vovchanchyn” punching. I can remember myself entering a gym there and seeing everyone practicing my style of punching.

I encourage you to read up on The Reign of the Wrestlers and Strikers Attack from my MMA History series to see Igor and Kerr in action at their peaks.

As far as Fedor modeling his striking on Igor's, its entirely possible and I do see some similarities in the looping ~~hooks~~ overhands thrown with the thumb pointing down.

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I LOVE Igor Vovchachyn

He has one of the great highlight reels of the sport, and was often the striker put up against a pure wrestler/BJJ guy to see which would win. He’s absolutely absurd, his kicks hurt you when you watch them, and it’s awesome to see him get some love.

Also, he’s only 35, so he could conceivably fight again.

by Derek Suboticki on May 6, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions

sadly in that same interview

he says his hand injuries are too serious for him to ever return to MMA.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 6, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Also, with how advanced the game has become, it may not be safe for him to cut to a more competitive weight at his age.

He still trains and coaches, though, which is awesome. I much prefer seeing the older fighters running a gym than still trying to fight and getting seriously hurt, like Ken Shamrock or Coleman.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on May 6, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

looping hooks? do you mean looping overhands?

by beersnbroads on May 6, 2009 7:08 PM EDT reply actions

you are correct

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 6, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm sure most of you know this, but

The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr Is a documentary about Mark Kerr (obvious). It has some great “behind the scenes” footage and information of/about Kerr, Coleman, and Vovchanchyn among others.

And yea, I always thought that Vovchanchyn retired early and could possibly come back, but like it said in the interview, his right hand hand is pretty messed up.

By the way, I have been reading this site for awhile and really enjoy it. Had to sign up and I hope I can contribute in the future.

by Lopax on May 6, 2009 7:52 PM EDT reply actions

Good to have you here.

by MMASuPreMaCy on May 6, 2009 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions

good point

the Smashing Machine is a must see.
welcome to BE, glad to have you.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 6, 2009 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions

The scene where Igor and Kerr compare scars a few days after their fight was amazing – warriors as brothers.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on May 6, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

You can’t possibly be worse than our last new addition, so welcome!

by Derek Suboticki on May 6, 2009 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Igor Was Great

I was a HUGE Pride fan, so I saw many of Igor’s fights. He was a lot of fun to watch. If Igor was on the fight card, you knew you were in for a good show.

by Cliff Speed on May 6, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions

didnt it seem like there was always the wandy/igor rumored fight in the mmaweekly rumors section, or it just me?

by pmac06340 on May 7, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions

I rec’d this post. Anything on Igor Vovchanchyn makes me smile. All time great Martial Artist and top 5 classiest guys in the sport.

Hope he’s able to get his hand taken care of. It sounds like even if he gets the hand fixed surgically that there is still very little chance that he would still be able to fight. Wouldn’t mind seeing a Igor vs. Coleman or Herring fight again.

I could only imagine a Igor vs A Silva. Now that’s a Unorthodox striker vs. Unorthodox striker.

by natyong on May 6, 2009 11:14 PM EDT reply actions

m-1 global posted that interview, the garv just swiped the link of the underground and reposted to his site.

by EckY on May 6, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions

Before PRIDE, before the internet scene took off, Igor was a name whispered reverently by the hardcore fans. What a great fighter! It’s a shame he’s been lost to history, because there was a time when he was probably the best fighter in the world.

by JSnowden on May 7, 2009 9:13 AM EDT reply actions

exactly

When the scene was about getting bootleg VHS tapes in the mail, Igor would show up in grainy video after grainy video winning some obscure but brutal tournament on a piss colored matt and you’d just be in awe.
I believe visa issues kept him out of the U.S. and thus the UFC, but once PRIDE was running he was at the top of the sport anyway.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 7, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Luckily, now the Internet can bring his awesomeness to us in perpetuity.

by Derek Suboticki on May 7, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Seriously Igor is under appreciated in this sport. Until Fedor he was the greatest HW fighter we had ever seen. In fact, in his prime I think he was scarier than Fedor. So far in the young history of MMA there are only 2 guys who are even in the argument for greatest HW fighter, Fedor and Igor.

Ya’ll must of forgot ;)

by Chris Barton on May 7, 2009 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

thats an interesting take

I hadn’t thought of it in quite that way.
The biggest argument against Igor is that since his fight with Kerr was ruled a no contest (when I think it was a win personally) he never really won the “big” fight.
I think you could make a case that Mark Coleman and Big Nog would both belong on that list.
Coleman for his first UFC championship run and then returning to win the PRIDE GP in 2000. That’s still the biggest comeback in MMA history.
And remember Big Nog probably earned his hall of fame bid before he ever fought Fedor. His wins in the RINGS tournament and against Coleman, Sapp (yes once that mattered) and Cro Cop are all pretty epic. So is his unique distinction to be the only man ever to hold the PRIDE and the UFC heavyweight belts.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 8, 2009 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions

and don't forget

Coleman had to whip Igor V. to win that PRIDE GP

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 8, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree

Up until the past year, I honestly thought Big Nog had a better win pedigree than Fedor so he certainly should be in the conversation. Mark Coleman isn’t as under appreciated as Igor, but he is VERY much in the same boat.

Now I am rethinking my first post, Coleman was terrifying in his day too and that GP win was epic. I remember being is total shock when Maurice Smith KO’d him.

by Chris Barton on May 8, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions